chookoolinks: the good ideas edition

While I'm traveling (Towson/Baltimore peeps, will I see you tonight?), I thought I'd share some of the awesome I've seen around the web lately:

London vs. Paris -- My friends Irene, a Paris native, and Xanthe, a London native, have started this wonderful collaborative blog, showing how these two beautiful cities do what they do.  It's so smart, and visiting their site is like enjoying a mini European vacation.

Lens on Life -- my sweet friend Stephanie Roberts has begun a not-for-profit called Lens on Life, designed to "reveal and illuminate a visual voice for the unseen, particularly children living in impoverished conditions around the world."  In a nutshell, this organization (of which I'm proud to be a board member) is designed to put cameras in the hands of young people to teach them photography basics, enable them to document their stories; the prints of which will be sold to help support their communities.  You can learn more about it here.  And if this floats your boat, you can learn how you can help here.

The Makers Project -- This beautiful photo project by Jennifer Causey features photo essays of people who handmake different types of products in Brooklyn, New York.  Jennifer's gorgeous images will invite you to get lost in their stories.

And finally, please go visit my sweet friend Maile.  Not only did she take my favourite family photos ever taken of Marcus, Alex and me (and I mean ever), she's also giving away a free copy The Beauty of Different -- so please leave a comment!

Image:  Photographed with my Nikon D300, 50mm lens.  aperture 1.4; shutter speed 1/200; ISO 200.

Song: Her morning elegance by Oren Lavie